Yashin Ocean House - South Kensington, London

When Yashin opened its doors in West Ken, championing sushi sans soy sauce and wasabi, it was quickly championed in turn by critics across the capital. Now, with one success under the belt, Yashin has decided to pioneer a frontier as of yet unexplored in London - nose-to-tail degustation of seafood at Yashin Ocean House on Old Brompton Road.

The room itself is quite beautiful, a white-washed minimalistic Edwardian apartment with a domineering turquoise-topped sushi bar, chequered flooring, a massive horse statue-cum-lamp, and a section of exposed brick for good measure. Those who would prefer to dine away from the fray will be well rewarded, as there are two gorgeous private dining rooms in the basement.

Ocean House is double headed by two chef patrons, Yasuhero Mineno (former head chef at Ubon by Nobu) and Shinya Ikeda (former head chef of Yumi), who have created an exciting, unique menu that subverts expectations and transgresses boundaries. Case in point, umami mackerel bone and fish skin, served with a miscellany of desiccated seaweed and vegetables. On paper, it might seem to some like a snack out of a Philip K Dick nightmare, but in practice, it has a delicious depth of flavour and the moreishness of a Class A, particularly when paired with a lithe, crisp glass of sake. There were a number of other small bites that deserve a mention. The Ikura with pak choi was like a miniature ice cream cone, impregnated instead with saline salmon roe and a whipped cream cheese. Tuna sashimi with truffle-infused ponzu jelly was sublime. It made a welcome repeat occurrence on the sashimi platter, which contained a small reservoir in which a cocktail of citrus juice and liquid nitrogen was poured, to infuse the fish with a citric snog.

Larger dishes were equally experimental. Their take on yellowtail teriyaki involves a large tranche of the fish, enwreathed in beef net, taken from cow's stomach, roasted on the grill and served with yuzu miso. It was a proteinaceous as a sirloin. Sugi, a distant relative of black cod, was marinated for three days and served up with a saikyo miso, popping with cardamom. Both were very interesting, nonconventional treatments of fish. Dessert, however, was a return from the ocean to solid ground.

Diners are invited to cross the room to the bar, where an assortment of dishes repose languorously behind the glass. A Miroir Chocolate would have sat comfortably at the fag-end of a French menu, but did admirable work here, delivering that sugary punch necessary to mobilise a departure from the restaurant - and what a restaurant this one is - definitely deserving of return trips.

Share this venue